Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

"How dare you! How dare you interfere in what I, the county magistrate, do!"

Chu Xunzhen rang out in a cold voice, flicked his long sleeves, and slapped Chu Wanrou hard across the face.

Chu Wanrou was slapped to the ground, spitting blood and foam all over the ground.

"Rou'er!"

Li Yi was shocked and anxiously shouted as he rushed over to help Chu Wanrou up.

Chu Mingli and the others were furious, glaring angrily at Chu Xunzhen.

"How dare you treat Rou'er like this?" Chu Mingli asked in disbelief.

"Ha! A mere adopted daughter, who gave her the audacity to question this county princess?"

After Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, six inner guards came out from behind him.

They were the fathers-in-law that Nangong Yue had sent to guard her and ensure her safety when she went out.

Everyone was speechless.

Li Yi helped Chu Wanrou up, straightened her vermilion dress, and said with a blazing gaze, "I am your mother. So what if you are a county princess? In Da Ning, filial piety comes first. If you don't apologize to Rou'er, I, the mistress of the house, will punish you according to family law today."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen smiled sweetly, her eyes almost closing with laughter, and finally she laughed so hard she bent over backward.

"Mother, you're so powerful. But have you forgotten that the power to manage the household is in my hands, not yours? Guards, drag that vile woman Chu Wanrou away and make her kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment."

As Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, Li Yi's face turned ashen, and he roared, "You dare?"

"That mere adopted daughter, in a fit of anger, knocked over a candle, causing the Peony Pavilion to burn down. And because of her, the eldest son of our household is now ugly and lame. She ruined the future of our Ping'an Marquis's heir, ruined the eldest son's future. Now you're only making her kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment, and you can't bear to do it? Could it be that Chu Wanrou is your biological daughter, and Chu Mingyuan is the adopted one?"

As Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, Chu Mingyuan, who was on the bed, struggled to raise his arm and clutched his chest.

It's true. He heard what Doctor Gao said just now. He also heard what Chu Xunzhen said.

"A mirror, I want a mirror." Chu Mingyuan's hoarse voice rang out, and the veins on his forehead bulged as he gritted his teeth.

"Yuan'er is naturally my son. Chu Xunzhen, stop trying to sow discord!" Li Yi cursed angrily, then looked at Chu Mingyuan with heartache, released Chu Wanrou, and rushed over.

What will become of her poor Mingyuan in the future?

"Get me a mirror right now!" Chu Mingyuan yelled at Li Yi. "I need to see my face."

Chu Xunzhen kindly walked to the table to the side, picked up the bronze mirror, and handed it to Chu Mingyuan.

"Brother, this is your face now. The physician said it can't be cured."

Upon hearing this, Chu Mingyuan's gaze fell on the bronze mirror, and his eyes widened suddenly.

The man reflected in the bronze mirror no longer possessed his former refined and elegant demeanor; all that remained were the red bumps on his face.

One after another, bright red bumps, like ruptured scars, crisscrossed his entire face.

His face is ruined!

"No!"

Chu Mingyuan cried out in alarm, his hoarse voice cracking as he was so frightened that he fainted.

Chu Xunzhen held a handkerchief, wiping away fake tears with regret, and sighed, "Alas, my brother is so pitiful. What a pity. If it weren't for this incident, my brother would have been even more handsome and talented than Gu Changfeng."

Suddenly, the voice of the gatekeeper maid rang out from outside.

"Young Master Pei has arrived."

Li Yi felt as if a savior had descended, and immediately rushed over and knelt on the ground.

"Young Master Pei, please save my son. I beg you."

Chu Wanrou patted Li Yi's back, helped her up, and comforted her, "Mother, don't worry, Senior Brother is a disciple of the Heavenly Sect. Disciples of the Heavenly Sect are naturally skilled; they will surely be able to cure Brother."

"Okay, okay, okay..."

Li Yi appeared dazed, repeatedly agreeing as he watched Pei Changqing walk up to Chu Mingyuan and begin treating him.

A quarter of an hour later, Pei Changqing frowned and said loudly, "The physician of the manor has done a very good job bandaging it. It's a pity for Brother Mingyuan; the fire poison has penetrated into the surface of his skin, and his face is beyond saving."

Chu Zhanpeng asked with a sorrowful expression, "Isn't there any other way? As long as my son can be cured, I, the Marquis, am willing to give up all my wealth."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen's expression turned mocking.

What were they doing all this time? If they hadn't spoiled Chu Wanrou so much, none of this would have happened.

"There is no other way unless the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sect takes action, but the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sect is known for being elusive and rarely seen."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi immediately went limp and knelt on the ground.

Chu Wanrou's eyes flashed, and she immediately said, "Father, Mother, your daughter is willing to return to the Heavenly Sect to find the Sect Master and treat my brother."

"Okay, okay, Rou'er, no matter what the outcome, Mother thanks you." Li Yi clutched her handkerchief, wiping away tears, and said excitedly.

"Mother, we are family, why are you saying these things? In Rou'er's heart, you are all the closest people to me." Chu Wanrou's eyes reddened, she tugged at Li Yi's sleeve, and sobbed emotionally.

"Ha!" Chu Xunzhen sneered.

Chu Xunzhen's cold laughter echoed throughout the large room.

Chu Zhanpeng suddenly looked at Chu Xunzhen with a cold gaze. He was about to say something, but then he seemed to remember her identity, and his cold words suddenly became dry and unspoken.

Why is the county princess laughing?

"Of course, I'm laughing at your naivety. Who is the Heavenly Sect Master? He's not even usually in the Heavenly Sect. This is all Chu Mingyuan can do for the rest of his life."

As soon as Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, Chu Mingyuan, like a trapped lone wolf, let out a deafening roar: "Chu Xunzhen!"

"What? You won't even let this county princess tell the truth? If you don't believe me, you can ask Pei Changqing, you can ask Chu Mingxuan."

Li Yi suddenly thought of his third son.

"Yes, Mingxuan. Mingxuan might have a way to treat it."

At midnight, Chu Mingxuan returned, looking travel-worn.

His face was gloomy and his expression was unpleasant.

He didn't know where he had offended the sect leader, but the sect leader was actually dragging him along and torturing him mercilessly. The sect leader claimed it was to teach him and help him grow, but he could clearly see that the sect leader was dissatisfied with him and was warning him.

Having just returned to the Marquis's residence covered in Gu wounds, he was suddenly confronted with the events of the day.

Upon entering Tinglan Courtyard, Chu Mingxuan, with a gloomy expression, began to examine Chu Mingyuan.

Under the light of the oil lamp, Chu Mingxuan's face flickered between light and shadow. He took a deep breath and said, "My brother's leg can never be reattached. As for his face, there's no cure whatsoever."

Chu Xunzhen leaned against the couch, listening to Chu Mingxuan's words and seeing the disappointed expressions on everyone's faces, and she smiled.

Chu Zhanpeng looked at Chu Xunzhen's face, which was filled with fear and disgust, clearly recalling the Imperial Preceptor's prophecy.

"You jinx. If it weren't for you, how could my brother have been so badly injured? Chu Xunzhen, how can you even laugh?" Chu Mingli's face was grim as he stared intently at Chu Xunzhen.

"Chu Xunzhen, you ruined my brother's life." Chu Mingxuan's gaze sharpened, he released Chu Mingyuan's hand, and spoke coldly.

"Why is it that the one who is disfigured and crippled is not you, this jinx, but my son?" Li Yi slapped his thigh desperately, tears streaming down his face, and wailed.

Just then, Old Master Chu arrived.

He wore a light blue robe, and his aged voice was filled with disappointment: "What's the panic? Has my Ping'an Marquis's mansion collapsed? What's done is done. If Mingyuan can recover in the future, that would be best. But now, we need a way out."

Everyone looked puzzled.

Old Master Chu glanced at Chu Mingyuan on the bed, his eyes filled with pain and regret. Then, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he said to Chu Xunzhen, "You will go to the palace tomorrow morning and give my memorial to His Majesty. His Majesty will understand once he sees it. This is the last thing your grandfather asks you to do. What you do afterward is none of my concern."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen's gaze fell on the folded paper envelope.

The envelope was waxed, clearly indicating that it was not for others to see.

In the past, Chu Xunzhen would not have looked at it, but now, she doesn't trust them.

She actually tore open the wax seal in front of Old Master Chu and everyone else, picked up the memorial, and quickly began to read it.

"Your Majesty's personal letter: Chu Xunzhen, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ping'an, is deeply grateful to her elder brother Chu Mingyuan for taking care of our father and mother day and night. Feeling that she has not fulfilled her filial duties, she has decided to exchange her position as a county princess for the position of Marquis of Xiaoyao. She hopes that her elder brother Chu Mingyuan will have a smooth life and peace day and night."

The handwriting on the memorial was strong and vigorous. Chu Xunzhen read it twice, gripping the memorial tightly, her gaze dangerous, and she sneered, "Grandfather, what a shrewd move. If I hadn't read the memorial, wouldn't I have lost the position of county princess without even realizing it?"